Continuous conveyor type barn gutter cleaners



R. L. YUENGER CONTINUOUS CONVEYOR TYPE BARN GUTTER CLEANERS Filed 001;. 25, 1954 Feb. 26, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

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CONTINUOUS CONVEYOR TYPE EARN GUTT ER CLEANERS Robert L. Yuenger, Harvard, 11]., assignor to Starline, lnc.,

a corporation of Illinois Application October 25, 1954, Serial No. 464,394

6 Claims. (Cl. 198-171) This invention relates to an improved barn gutter cleaner of the type in which a pair of parallel troughs are connected by a cross trough, and a continuous chain moves along the inner faces of said troughs and has spaced flights extending laterally across the troughs.

Gutter cleaners of the continuous chain type are quite popular for cleaning refuse out of dairy barn gutters. Although the installations are relatively expensive, they are popular because they clean the gutters with a minimum of work on the part of the dairy farmer and his hired hands. Such gutter cleaners, however, require extremely heavy and strong chain, and a drive motor of substantial horsepower because all of the refuse in a gutter is moved at one time, and this creates a very heavy load on the chain and on the motor. Obviously, the

size of the motor and the size of the chain required would vary with the length of gutter serviced by the cleaner; but a very common size installation requires 25,000 pound test chain and a 3 H. P. motor. Even a 3 H. P. motor is sometimes overloaded in a typical continuous chain installation.

In accordance with the present invention, a simple change in gutter wall construction at the corners of the troughs greatly reduces the power requirements and strength of chain needed. As an example, a typical installation without the modified corner construction of the present invention required a 3 H. P. motor which was occasionally overloaded. With the modified corner construction of the present invention the same installation can be operated on a 1 /2 to 2 H. P. motor, depending on conditions, without overloading of the motor. The result is substantially reduced initial cost, and greatly reduced depreciation and upkeep, due to elimination of overloading.

A conventional continuous chain gutter cleaner con- 7 struction has a pair of parallel troughs connected at one end by a cross trough. At each inner corner of the intersection between the cross trough and one of the parallel troughs is an idler member which may be either a sprocket or a wheel around which the continuous chain is trained. Thus, the chain moves along the inner wall of each trough and has flights which project laterally across the trough toward the outer wall. It is necessary to provide a space between the ends of the flights and the outside trough wall, and theoretically this space is uniform. throughout the entire length of the troughs. Actually, concrete work is not perfectly accurate, and there may be variations of as much as inch between the ends of the flights andthe gutter walls due to irregularities in the concrete. Thus, as used herein the term predetermined space actually comprehends a rangefrom about inch to l or 1 /2 inches, it being understood that in practice the space is kept as uniform asis practicable. It is desirable to keep the clearance as low as possible because if clearances between theflights and the wall are excessive, the litter tends to pile up at,

theend, of the flight and jam, causing excessive friction i the invention, this is accomplished by forming a shal- 2,782,399 Patented Feb. 26, 1957 ice and overloading; and also the flight does not clean the wall properly. Proper sanitation requires thorough wall cleaning, which can be obtained only by a sutliciently small clearance between the flight end and the gutter wall that the wall is rubbed by a wiping pad of refuse carried by the end portion of the flight.

To the best of applicants knowledge, conventional corner construction for the outside wall of a gutter requires an arcuate wall segment where the flights swing around the corner, and these arcuate segments customarily have their outer ends tangent to the straight portions of the outer walls of the troughs which meet to form the corner. This arcuate segment of the outer wall of the trough was so constructed as to provide the same clearance which is provided along the straight trough walls.

A perfectly well recognized phenomenon of chain operation is that as a chain runs over a sprocket, the chain undergoes radial movement known as chordal rise as each chain link approaches or leaves the point of tangency with the pitch circumference of the sprocket or roller, the rise of a link approaching the roller being due to action by the link ahead of it, and that of a link leaving the roller being due to action by the link behind it. The amount of chordal rise is dependent upon the relationship between sprocket or roller diameter and the length of the links in the chain. Extreme chordal rise is encountered where a chain with long links is carried around a small sprocket or roller. Conventional barn gutter cleaners do use relatively long links for the size of the corner idler members so that chordal rise is a definite factor. if the. chain were suspended between idlers and not subject to great tensile load, the entire chain between the idlers would move laterally. However, the chain in this case is supported on the gutter floor and is subjected to great tensile load, which dampens the transverse motion except right at the idlers.

I have now discovered that a great deal of the overloading of barn gutter cleaners is due to the fact that chordal rise of the chain approaching and leaving the sprocket causes the conveyor flights to be moved longitudinally across the trough so that their outer ends move toward the outer gutter wall. This reduction in flight end clearance I have now discovered produces jamming of refuse between the flight end and the outer gutter wall. As previously pointed out, a wiping pad of refuse must be between the flight end and the wall and this pad is necessarily jammed. This jamming, if it involves a hard piece of material such as a corn stalk, may actually cause damage to the flight or to the chain pins, and it is obvious that any such jamming greatly increases the power requirements of a motor to move such jammed material. The entire problem is greatly aggravated by the fact that the tensile load on the chain tends to keep the links aligned with one another; and this tensile strain, tending to hold the links in line, produces a very high shearing force at the end of a flight, tending to crush any litter which has lodged between the flight end and the gutter wall. Furthermore, the jump in linear velocity of a flight end as it swings around a corner-from 15 feet a minute on the straightaway to 60 feet a minute on the curve comes at the same time that jamming occurs due to chordal rise; and jamming itself is promoted by centrifugal force tending to slide refuse out toward the flight end at the corner. produce enormous loadpeaks at the corners.

In accordance with thepresent invention, the outer trough wall is so constructed that the predetermined space between the flight ends and the gutter wall is retained at all times. In thev illustrated embodiment of The three factors combine to low, upright, arcuate concavity in the outer wall of the trough in the area which is traversed by a flight during that part of the movement of the link on which the flight is mounted in which chordal rise ofthe link takes place. This arcuate concavity provides a recess in the face of the gutter wall into which the ends of the flights move as chordal rise occurs. Thus, such a recess is provided at each extremity of the arcuate wall segment, so that the flight end clearance is maintained both as a link carrying a flight moves onto and off of the idler member.

A factor in the use of farm equipment requiring high voltage, such as a 2 or 3 H. P. electric motor, is the relatively large voltage drop on the farm line at certain times of peak load. Thus, in the early morning when an electric range is operating in the kitchen, perhaps with the oven on to warm the kitchen, electric refrigerators in the milkhouse, etc., the voltage, which is supposted to be 210 plus or minus 10, may drop as low as 165 volts at these times of peak load. This is just at the time when the farmer must clean the barn gutters before morning milking.

In another typical installation a gutter cleaner without the chordal rise recesses of the present invention required a special 2 H. P. motor with a 430% overload capacity for starting, in order to get a full gutter load moving in cold weather.

After the gutters were rebuilt in accordance with the present invention, tests under similar conditions showed that a 1% H. P. standard motor (300% overload capacity at start) was able to pick up a full load; and to do so only 170 to 180 volts were required. Obviously, therefore, the power saving is a very important factor in practical farm operation.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings in which:

'Fi g. l is a plan view of a typical continuous chain type gutter cleaner installation;

Fig. 2 is a section taken as indicated along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; i

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a gutter corner, partially in section and on a scale larger than Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a section taken as indicated along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, and referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the gutter cleaner has an out-trough and an in-trough 11 which is parallel to the out-trough, said parallel troughs being connected by a cross trough 12. At the outer end of the out-trough 10, there is an inclined conveyor trough or chute 13, and parallel to the conveyor chute 13 is a return chute 14 which connects with the in-trough 11 by a short transverse trough section 15. Thus, in the installation, there are trough corners 16 and 17 where the cross trough 12 connects with the parallel troughs 10 and 11 and a third corner 18 where the transverse trough section joins the in-trough 11. The trough 11 has an inner wall 11a and an outer wall 111) which are substantially parallel to one another, and similarly the cross trough 12 has an inner wall 12a and an outer wall 12b. As best seen in Fig. 3, at the intersection between the inner walls 11a and 12a is an idler recess 19 provided with an upright spindle 20 on which is journalled an idler wheel 21, the periphery of which is slightly outside a line projected from the inside walls 11a and 12a of the troughs 11 and 12. Referring again to Fig. 1, the inner angle of the corners 17 and 18 also has an idler recess, numbered 22 and 23, respectively, and idler rollers 24 and 25, respectively. A continuous conveyor chain 26 extends along the inner walls of the several troughs, and along the adjacent faces of the inclined chutes 13 and 14. As seen in Figs. 3 and 4, the chain 26 is trained over the idlers 21, 24 and and as seen in Fig. 2, at the outer ends of the chutes 13 and 14 is a housing 27 having a drive motor 28 which operates through a transmission 29 to run a drive sprocket 30 by means of which the chain 26 is driven. The idlers act as corner guides for the chain 26; and the problem with which this invention is concerned is present if fixed corner guide plates are used instead of rotatable idlers or sprockets.

At the angle between the trough 10 and the conveyor trough, or chute 13 is a hold-down guide shoe 13a which, as best seen in Fig. 2, is arcuate with a curvature which is tangent to both straight runs of the chain. Some chordal rise also takes place around this guide shoe 13a, although it is of less importance due to the long radius of curvature of the guide shoe.

As best seen in Fig. 3, the chain 26 consists of open links 31 alternating with block links 32, all secured together by means of pins 33. In the specific embodiment shown, the dimensions of the open links 31 and block links 32 is such that 13 links are 4% feet long, so the pitch length of the chain is 4% inches; and a conveyor flight 34 is bolted beneath the center of every other open link 31 so that the flights 34 are approximately 18 inches apart. The root radius of the idler 21 is about equal to the pitch length of the chain, so that chordal rise is a very large factor in the unit. In order to better illustrate the construction, and the problem involved in the present invention, Fig. 3 has an extra flight 34a indicated in broken lines between the flights 34. Actually, as seen in Fig. 1, when two flights 34 are in such a position with respect to an idler roller that they are separated by an angle of there is no flight between them.

Each of the illustrated flights 34 consists of an angle member having an attaching arm 35 and a scraper arm 36 which is provided with a welded-on wear pad 37 which rides on the floor of the gutter. At each corner, an arcuate wear plate 38 is mounted in the concrete of the gutter floor, and the wear pads 37 ride on the wear plates 38 as the chain goes around the idler member 21.

As best seen in Fig. 3, the outer walls 11b and 12b of the troughs 11 and 12, respectively, are connected by an arcuate wall segment 39 which merges at its extremities into upright arcuate concave wall portions 40 and 41 which are positioned between the extremities of the arcuate segment 39 and the adjacent ends of the straight outer walls 11b and 12b. The radius of the arcuate wall segment 39 is such that the predetermined minimum clearance, indicated at 42 in Figs. 3 and 4, is maintained as each flight passes around the corner so that its outer end 34b is spaced the same distance from the arcuate wall segment as it is from the straight walls. As previously stated, this spacing is kept as uniform as possible throughout the entire length of the troughs 10, 11, 12 and 15; but irregularities in the concrete work necessarily cause some variation in spacing. A satisfactory minimum clearance 42 is /1 inch.

Referring now to the concavity 41 which occupies the junction between the arcuate wall segment 39 and the outer cross trough wall 12b, Fig. 3 shows in broken lines 34c the position which a conveyor flight 34 occupies before it enters the area where chordal rise takes place, while the flight 34, which is directly opposite the center of the concavity 41, shows the position which a flight occupies in the area of maximum chordal rise, and it can be seen that the flight end clearance 42 is not reduced on account of chordal rise of the chain because of the concavity 41. Thus, the minimum end clearance 42 is maintained even in the area where chordal rise of the chain takes place,

- which is in the zone traversed by a conveyor flight when the link preceding or following the one to which the flight is secured passes through a point of tangency with the idler 21 (either approaching or leaving the idler). As a result, jamming of material between the ends 34b of the flights and the outer trough walls is substantially eliminated at the corners.

Proper shaping of the arcuate segment 39 and the arcuate concavities 40 and 41 is obtained in the pouring of the concrete for the continuous gutter by providing a suitably shaped steel form for the outer wall segment 39 and the concavities 40 and 41, and suitable temporary cross braces to back up the steel form.

The foregoing detailed description is given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom, as some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A barn gutter cleaner comprising: a continuous depressed gutter having two troughs disposed at an angle to one another; a guide member having an arcuate guide surface at the corner of the inner walls of said troughs; a continuous chain movable along the inner walls of the troughs which rides on said guide surface, said chain being flexible in a horizontal plane and the links thereof having a pitch length which is so related to the radius of curvature of said guide surface as to cause substantial chordal rise of a chain link traversing said surface; a plurality of spaced flights secured to said chain and eX- tending across the troughs, there being a predetermined space between the outer ends of said flights and the outer walls of said troughs; means for moving said chain to carry said flights along the troughs; and a shallow, upright, arcuate concavity in the outer wall of each trough in the area which is traversed by a flight as the chain link on which the flight is mounted moves in chordal rise on said guide surface, said concavity providing a recess in the face of said wall.

2. The device of claim 1 in which the concavity provides a recess of a depth substantially equal to the distance which the flight is displaced endwise by the chordal rise of the chain link on which it is mounted.

3. In a continuous chain-type barn gutter cleaner which has a continuous depressed gutter including two troughs disposed at an angle to one another with an arcuate guide surface at their inner corner, a driven continuous link chain riding on said arcuate guide surface which is flexible in a horizontal plane and the links of which have a pitch length which is so related to the radius of curvature of said guide surface as to cause substantial chordal rise of a chain link traversing said surface, and a plurality of spaced flights mounted on certain of said links and extending across the troughs, there being a predetermined space between the outer ends of the flights and the outer walls of the troughs, means for retaining said predetermined space as the chain traverses the guide members comprising: a shallow, upright, arcuate concavity in the outer Wall of the trough in the area which is traversed by a flight as the chain link on which the flight is mounted moves in chordal rise on the guide surface, said concavity providing a recess in the face of said wall.

4. The device of claim 3 in which the concavity provides a recess of a depth substantially equal to the distance which the flight is displaced 'endwise by the chordal rise of the chain link on which it is mounted.

5. The device of claim 4 in which the surface of the recess is substantially parallel to the path traversed by the end of a flight when the flight moves endwise in chordal rise as it traverses the guide surface.

6. In a barn gutter cleaner having two trough portions which are disposed at an angle with respect to one another: a continuous chain along a wall of said trough portions, said chain having links of relatively long pitch; a plurality of spaced flights secured to said chain and extending across 'the trough portions; an arcuate guide member for the chain at the inner portion of said angle, the radius of curvature of said guide member being no more than about equal to the pitch length of said links; means for moving said chain to carry said flights along the trough; and -a shallow arcuate concavity in the wall of the trough opposite said guide member in the area which is traversed by a flight as the chain link on which the flight is mounted moves in chordal rise on the guide member, said concavity providing a recess in the face of said wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 720,840 Park Feb. 17, 1903 2,513,706 Baehr July 4, 1950 2,554,589 Patz et al May 29, 1951 2,676,696 Gerhartz Apr. 27, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 588,773 Great Britain June 3, 1947 

